President Chester Arthur refused to move into the White House until it was redecorated. He hired Tiffany, who was thirty-four and had never designed an interior on that scale. The result, completed in 1882, included a floor-to-ceiling opalescent glass screen in the Entrance Hall that Theodore Roosevelt later had removed. The screen no longer exists.
Key facts
- Lived
- 1848–1933, American
- Movement
- Works held in
- 9 museums
Biography
Tiffany was born in New York in 1848, the son of Charles Lewis Tiffany, co-founder of Tiffany and Co. He declared early that he wanted to be an artist, not a jeweller, and studied painting under George Inness and Samuel Colman before training briefly in Paris. Painting gave way to glass. From 1875 he experimented with stained glass techniques, and by 1878 he had established a glassmaking factory at Corona in Queens. He patented opalescent window glass, which combined and manipulated multiple colours within a single sheet, and developed Favrile glass (from the Latin faber, "craftsman"), whose iridescent surfaces made him an international figure in Art Nouveau.
His preference for landscape over religious figural scenes cost him church commissions but gave his windows a distinctive character. In 1911 he created a monumental glass curtain for the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City. Much of the design credit for his famous lamps belongs to Clara Driscoll, who supervised the Women's Glass Cutting Department and whose role was largely unrecognised until archival research in the 2000s revealed the extent of her contribution.
In 1919, Tiffany converted his Long Island estate into a foundation for art students, funding residencies from the proceeds of the property's eventual sale. He died in New York in 1933, at eighty-four.
Timeline
- 1848Born in New York City, the son of Charles Lewis Tiffany, co-founder of the jewellery firm Tiffany & Co.
- 1866At 18, studied painting under the landscape artist George Inness in New York before travelling to Paris to train further.
- 1878Completed his first major interior design project at 30, decorating his own top-floor home and studio at the Bella Apartments on East 26th Street in New York.
- 1882At 34, his firm Associated Artists was commissioned to redecorate the White House in Washington, D.C. for President Chester Arthur.
- 1893Built a glasshouse in Corona, Queens, New York at 45 and developed Favrile glass with the English glassworker Arthur Nash, blending different colours in the molten state.
- 1900At 52, exhibited his Favrile glass and stained-glass windows to international acclaim at the Paris Exposition Universelle.
- 1919Established the Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation for Art Students at 71, housed at his celebrated Laurelton Hall estate on Long Island, New York.
- 1933Died of pneumonia at 84 in New York City, a year after Tiffany Studios declared bankruptcy during the Great Depression.
Notable Works
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Related Artists
Frequently Asked Questions
Did louis comfort tiffany make jewelry?
Louis Comfort Tiffany was the son of Charles Lewis Tiffany, who co-founded Tiffany and Co., a company specialising in luxury items, jewellery and stationary articles. It is not explicitly stated that he made jewellery himself.How did louis comfort tiffany contribute to art nouveau style?
Louis Comfort Tiffany's contribution to Art Nouveau is seen in his sensuous opulence, particularly in his stained-glass lamps. His lotus table lamp, constructed of leaded glass, mosaic, and bronze, features the curvilinear floral forms of the lotus.How did louis comfort tiffany die?
Louis Comfort Tiffany died in 1933 at the age of 85.Louis comfort tiffany art movement?
Louis Comfort Tiffany is associated with the Art Nouveau movement. His stained-glass lamps exemplify the sensuous opulence of this style.What is louis comfort tiffany famous for designing?
Louis Comfort Tiffany is famous for designing glass vases, bowls, stained glass windows, and interior decorations. He is particularly known for his work with the Favrile technique.When did louis comfort tiffany live?
Louis Comfort Tiffany lived from 1848 to 1933. He was born in New York.Where was louis comfort tiffany born?
Louis Comfort Tiffany was born in 1848 in United States. Louis Comfort Tiffany died in 1933, aged 85.Who was louis comfort tiffany?
Louis Comfort Tiffany was an American artist and designer, born in New York in 1848. He was the son of Charles Lewis Tiffany, co-founder of Tiffany and Co.Why did louis comfort tiffany want to premier the use of glass?
In 1893, Louis Comfort Tiffany perfected the Favrile technique, an artisan method of glass blowing that permitted numerous effects. He was also making stained glass windows, and his company designed a complete line of interior decorations.Why is louis comfort tiffany famous?
Louis Comfort Tiffany is known for perfecting the Favrile technique for glassmaking, which allowed for numerous effects. He also produced stained glass windows, and his company designed complete interior decorations.
Sources
Editorial draws on the following primary and tertiary references for Louis Comfort Tiffany.
- [1] book Typesetter01, 3638_W_Kleiner.FM_V2.qxd Used for: biography.
- [2] book Jean Lahor, Art Nouveau Used for: biography.
Editorial overseen by Solis Prints. Sources verified 2026-05-24. Click a source for details, or hover over [N] in the page above to preview.
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